Star Trek Omega ForceGaiden1 Self-Examination
by William Raymer
Summary: Go behind the Omega Force legend in this new series. First up: a 23rd century Captain uncovers a secret that will affect the Yagami in the 24th century!
1. Chapter 1

_Star Trek: Omega Force Gaiden_ (Side Story) _#1:_

"_Self-Examination"_

by William "Blissey" Raymer

Based on _Star Trek_ Created by Gene Roddenberry

_This story takes place in the three-month span between the events of 1984's _Star Trek III: The Search for Spock_ and 1986's _Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home_. It also mentions events that have taken place in the Black Wall Productions audio drama _Star Trek: Grissom_, which (as a matter of full disclosure) I am a cast member of._

_It will also set up a storyline that will be examined further in "_Magical Showtime, Parts I and II,_" the "season finale" of the main _Omega Force_ series._

Prologue

_Personal Log, Captain William C. Raymer, Head of Tactical OPS, Copernicus Fleet Yards, Stardate 8320.7._

_We were informed by Admiral Thompson that the _U.S.S. Grissom NCC-638_, one of the most distinguished vessels we have ever built here at the Copernicus Yards, has been destroyed with all hands lost. _

_While the details of the mission _Grissom_ was on at the time of her destruction are being kept close to the vest by the Admiralty and the Federation Council, I have learned through confidential sources I have at the President's Office in Paris that the _Grissom_ was destroyed in an attack by Klingon forces._

_And further news I have just received from my sources have indicated that the legendary _U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701_, which had been stolen from Spacedock One by rogue Admiral James T. Kirk, has also been destroyed._

_Having been a cadet aboard the _Enterprise_ near the end of her legendary first five-year mission under then-Captain Kirk and also having had a part in the construction of the _Grissom_ has brought me immense feelings of sadness at the end of two great starships. _

_I have been invited to speak at the memorial service for the _Grissom_'s crew as the last member of its original construction team still serving here at Copernicus. With most of the old team—notably Admirals Robert Caves and Se__á__n Paul Teeling—having either been transferred to other fleet assignments, retired or passed away, I feel it is my right, privilege and responsibility to be there at the very end of _Grissom_'s legacy. _

_In the last few days, I have become close friends over subspace with many members of the families affected by the tragic loss of the _Grissom_, and look forward to meeting them in person at the memorial service in a few days._

_I only wish that it could have been under other, lighter, circumstances…_

Finishing the log entry he was recording, Captain William Raymer stood from his desk and made his way to the window overlooking Lake Armstrong, near where the ground-based portions of the Copernicus Fleet Yards were located.

Taking a deep breath and a sigh, William then turned and looked at his trophy case. Inside were small models of the ships he had participated in the construction of during his 15 years of service at Copernicus.

As he opened the case, one particular model—of an _Oberth_-class ship—caught William's eye. Emblazoned on the saucer section of the ship's hull was the legend "_U.S.S. Grissom NCC-638_." William felt a tear slip down his cheek as he thought of the crew of _Grissom_ and the families they left behind.

A beeping from his desk brought William out of his reverie. He reached over and tapped a control. "Raymer here. Go ahead."

"_Captain Raymer, this is Shuttlecraft Landing Control_," the voice on the other side of the channel said. "_Your transport to Earth for the _Grissom_ memorial service has just landed._"

"I'll be along presently. Just give me about half an hour to get my gear together. Raymer, out," he said before closing the channel.

As William exited his office and made his way to the residential area, he continued to ponder about the _Grissom_'s fate. And then, it clicked. "_Genesis_," he thought.

His sources had told him that the _Grissom_ had been assigned to a mission to investigate the aftermath of Khan Noonien Singh's detonation of the Genesis Device prototype within the Mutara Nebula.

William still could not venture a guess as to why the Klingons destroyed the _Grissom_ (and possibly the _Enterprise_), but he did know one thing: he needed to get away from Copernicus.

Upon his arrival on Earth, William asked to meet Admiral Harry Morrow, the commander of Starfleet. However, he was notified that following the twin debacles of the _Grissom_'s destruction and the theft/destruction of the _Enterprise_, as well as the mounting tensions with the Klingon and Romulan Empires over Genesis, Admiral Morrow had resigned from Starfleet.

His replacement would be Admiral Lance Cartwright. He did not know much about Cartwright's career beyond the fact that as a Captain, he had commanded the _Miranda_-class starship _Rowling_ for five years in the early 2270s.

In his office, Cartwright was placing his personal effects on the walls and shelves when his desk-mounted communications unit rang. "Yes?" he said.

"_Sir, Captain Raymer of the Copernicus Yards is here to see you,_" the voice of his receptionist said. "Send him in," Cartwright said. "_Aye, sir,_" the receptionist said.

The doors into Cartwright's office slid open, allowing William to walk in. "Ah, Captain Raymer, please have a seat. I'll be right with you," Cartwright said.

"Thank you, sir," William said. As William sat down, Cartwright placed a model of the _Rowling_ on his shelf. When that was done, he sat back down behind his desk.

"I understand you will be speaking at the _Grissom_ memorial service on Thursday," Cartwright said. "That's right, sir," William said. "That is part of the reason why I asked to see you."

"I have been serving at the Copernicus Yards ever since I got out of the Academy—in fact, the only star-hours I have ever logged were when I was a cadet aboard the _Enterprise_," he continued. "I feel it is time that I get back out there and do even more good than I can do stuck behind a desk."

"Which is why I am formally requesting a transfer to the command of an active starship," William finished.

"I see," Cartwright said. "And you are sure this request is not just because the _Grissom_ was destroyed?"

"Far from it, Admiral," William said. "While all of us at Copernicus are mourning the loss of the _Grissom_ and her crew, we also realize that we must get on with our lives and careers. The best thing we can do to honor the deeds of the _Grissom_ and her crew is to continue to serve Starfleet and the Federation the best way we can."

"I see where you are coming from, Bill," Cartwright said. "Let me think about it for a couple of days while we bid farewell to the _Grissom_ and while I get used to being at the helm of the entire fleet."

"That is all I can ask, Admiral," William said. "You have the comm code of my room at the visitor's hovel near the old Transamerica Building if you need to get in touch with me before the service."

"I'll keep that in mind," Cartwright said. "Dismissed." William nodded at his new boss then stood and left his office.

_::TBC::_


	2. Chapter 2

_Star Trek: Omega Force Gaiden_ (Side Story) _#1:_

"_Self-Examination"_

Chapter 2

A few days after the _Grissom_ memorial service, William sat in a booth in a restaurant not far from Starfleet Headquarters and sipped at a cup of tea. He was interrupted by a familiar face. "Captain Raymer, I presume?" he said.

"Ah, Mr. Jata," William said. "Please, have a seat." Francois Jata nodded, then sat down across the booth from William. "I just wanted to say thank you for the kind words you said about my brother at the _Grissom_ memorial service," Jata said.

"I hope you understand, Mr. Jata, that those words were not meant to be about Bacari in particular," William said. "They were meant to be about the entire crew of the _Grissom_."

"But nonetheless, Captain, you have my most heartfelt thanks for giving me solace over the loss of my brother,"Jata said. "We were very close, Bacari and I."

"I would imagine that those very words-'We were very close'-would be applicable to just about anyone aboard the _Grissom_ and the loved ones they leave behind," William said. "Which is why I said what I said."

William stopped for a moment to take a deep breath, but before he could resume his conversation, a beeping sounded. William reached behind his back and pulled out a communicator, which he flicked open. "Raymer. Go ahead."

"_Captain Raymer, this is Lieutenant Del Rio, Admiral Cartwright's attache. The Admiral wishes to see you immediately_," the voice on the other side of the channel said.

"Tell him that I am on my way. Raymer, out," William said before he closed the communicator and put it back on his belt. "Excuse me, Mr. Jata, but duty calls," William said.

"I understand. If you ever find yourself in Dakar, please visit me," Jata said. "I'll do that. Thanks," William said.

William nodded at Jata, then stood and left the restaurant.

A few minutes later, William stood at attention as Admiral Cartwright entered the antechamber of his office. "At ease, Mr. Raymer," Cartwright said. "Please follow me."

William nodded, then followed Cartwright into his office. Once they were seated, Cartwright smiled at William. "Still want a transfer to command a ship in the field?" Cartwright said. "I wouldn't have asked for a transfer otherwise, Admiral," William said.

"Very well," Cartwright said. "I have looked over the fleet charts and found that the _Miranda_-class starship _Fleming_ is in need of a new captain, and you seem to fit the bill perfectly. Interested?"

"As long as she is space-worthy, I don't give a damn what kind of ship she is. I'll make her the best in the fleet," William said.

"Just what I wanted to hear," Cartwright said. "She's docked at Spacedock right now. I have a shuttle waiting at Pad 3 to take you back to Copernicus to get your business there in order before you take command of the _Fleming_."

"Thank you, Admiral," William said. "Just treat the _Fleming_ well," Cartwright said. "I will, sir," William said. "Permission to depart and do what I need to do?"

"Granted, and welcome back to the fleet," Cartwright said. William nodded, then left Cartwright's office.

A few hours later, the shuttle lifted off from Copernicus, en route to Spacedock. "Control, this is SD-121, on approach to Spacedock. Over," the pilot said. "_SD-121, you are cleared to deliver Captain Raymer to NCC-1045. Over,_" the Spacedock controller responded.

As the shuttle came to a stop in the center of the _Fleming_'s shuttlebay, William could see a pair of officers bring a stepladder over to the shuttle. "You can exit the shuttle now, sir," the pilot said. "Good luck."

"Thanks," William said. He took a deep breath, stood from the passenger bench, drew his uniform tunic down, then stepped off the shuttle.

"Commanding officer, _USS Fleming_, arriving!" an Ensign called out. The other Ensign took a boatswain's whistle and blew into it. The crew in the shuttlebay stopped what they were doing and stood at attention. "As you were," William said.

The crew resumed their work as the first Ensign approached. "Ensign Martin Todman, sir. I am here to escort you on a tour of the ship. Ensign Flynn and his crew will see to your gear," he said. "Very well," William said before he set his carry-on bag down on the deck.

"I understand that this is your first field assignment since you graduated from the Academy, sir," Ensign Todman said. "Yes, it is, Ensign," William said. "My entire career until today has been spent at Copernicus Yards."

"In fact, if memory serves me right, I actually helped build the _Fleming_," William continued as he and Ensign Todman exited the shuttlebay and entered the ship proper. "That's exactly right, sir," Todman said. "Your name is on the _Fleming_'s commissioning plaque."

On the Bridge, Commander Madelaine Blaustein sat in the command chair as the _Fleming_'s communications officer turned to her. "Commander, Captain Raymer is safely aboard. He should be arriving on the Bridge within the hour," the officer said.

"Very well," Blaustein said. But suddenly, the doors slid open, revealing William and Ensign Todman. "Uh...Captain on the Bridge!" Blaustein said. The Bridge crew stood from their stations. "As you were," William said. "Which one of you is Commander Blaustein?"

"I am, sir," Madelaine said. "Commander Madelaine Blaustein, chief tactical officer." "I thought you'd like to know, Commander, that I'm making you my First Officer. Mr. Todman, please note the time and date of my decision in the Ship's Log." "Aye, sir," Todman said before setting off to do his work.

William turned back to Madelaine. "Mr. Blaustein, I'd like to get to know you better before we go on our mission. How's about dinner in my quarters, this evening at 1900 hours?" William said. "I'd like that, sir. I'll see you then," Madelaine said.

William nodded, then stepped back off the Bridge to resume his tour.

_::TBC::_


End file.
